Fetterman Clashes With Kaitlan Collins Over Iran Strike, Refuses To Back Down
Sen. John Fetterman delivered a combative defense of U.S. military operations in Iran during a heated exchange Wednesday night with CNN host Kaitlan Collins — and at one point bluntly told her, “You don’t have to cut me off here.”
Fetterman appeared on The Source as fallout continued from a Feb. 28 Tomahawk missile strike that hit the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school building in Minab, southeastern Iran. Iranian reports claim at least 175 people were killed, most of them children. A preliminary U.S. military investigation later found the strike resulted from faulty targeting intelligence based on outdated data provided by the Defense Intelligence Agency. The intended target was reportedly an adjacent Iranian base.
Nearly every Senate Democrat signed a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth calling for a “swift investigation.” Fetterman was the only Democrat who did not.
Collins pressed him directly.
“Every Senate Democrat except you signed a letter today… asking for an investigation into that strike on a girls’ school in Iran,” she said. “Why did you not sign that letter, senator?”
Fetterman responded that he agreed the strike was a tragedy and supported accountability — but rejected broader Democratic criticism of the war.
“Well, because we all agree that it is a tragedy having that school hit, absolutely,” Fetterman said. “And we all agreed now for an investigation. What I don’t agree with the rest of my colleagues… is that it’s a war of choice or it’s dumb… I think it’s a good thing and I support that.”
He emphasized that the Pentagon had already acknowledged likely responsibility and said an apology would be appropriate if the findings are confirmed.
But Fetterman pivoted to what he described as disproportionate media outrage over the school strike compared to coverage of Iranian actions.
“And I would remind everybody listening right now, the United States never, ever targets civilians,” he said. “Iran does… and they massacred 35,000 of them just a couple of weeks ago.”
As Collins attempted to interject, Fetterman continued forcefully.
“The left media is much more angry… about this hospital. And it is a tragedy. But they didn’t seem to be as concerned about the Iranians massacring tens of thousands of their young people just a couple of weeks ago.”
Collins pushed back, noting that CNN had extensively covered protests and internal unrest in Iran.
“Well, I don’t watch, so I don’t know,” Fetterman replied, adding that he was referring more broadly to what he sees as a pattern in “other left media,” including outlets like The New York Times, which he accused of portraying the war effort as a disaster.
Collins then sought to clarify his position: “You do believe if the United States was responsible, that the Pentagon should acknowledge that they accidentally hit a girls’ school?”
“Yeah, I’ve said that,” Fetterman answered. “It seems that they’ve already acknowledged all those things. I think largely that letter was rendered moot at this point after what’s already come out.”
As Collins attempted to wrap the segment, thanking him for his time, Fetterman objected.
“Oh, now, you don’t have to cut me off here,” he said with a chuckle, prompting Collins to respond, “Go ahead, Senator, we’re not cutting you off.”
Fetterman clarified that he was not arguing against coverage of the strike itself.
“It is appropriate to cover it. You know, it’s a tragedy. Absolutely,” he said. “If you’re implying that I don’t think it’s wrong to cover it, that’s just not true.”
The exchange highlighted Fetterman’s increasingly independent posture within the Democratic caucus, particularly on foreign policy. While most Democratic senators have framed the Iran campaign as reckless or destabilizing, Fetterman has openly supported the military operation and rejected characterizations that it is out of control.
With the Pentagon’s investigation ongoing and debate over the war intensifying on Capitol Hill, the interview underscored how sharply divided Democrats remain over the U.S. military conflict with Iran.
“THE CASE JUST TOOK A SHOCKING TURN” — The FBI has reportedly announced a major development in the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance
Nancy Guthrie Still Missing: Dramatic New Twist – FBI Summons Mystery Woman After Chilling Discovery at the Scene
(Exclusive Breaking Update – February 18, 2026 | Tucson, Arizona)
The case of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of TODAY co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has just taken a turn that has left investigators—and the entire nation—reeling.
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In the past hour, multiple law enforcement sources close to the investigation have confirmed to reporters: the FBI has issued an urgent summons for a woman to appear for immediate questioning after authorities discovered a piece of physical evidence described as “critically important” during a follow-up examination of the crime scene or adjacent areas late yesterday.
The woman in question is not a member of the Guthrie family, not one of the individuals previously detained during last week’s high-profile SWAT raid, and not someone previously flagged in any public tip line. Her sudden emergence into the spotlight is the direct result of something found that was serious enough to force federal agents to act without hesitation.
What exactly was discovered remains under tight wraps. Sources would only characterize it as “physical evidence of substantial investigative value” — something that could potentially reshape the entire narrative of what happened in the early morning hours of February 1, when:
– A masked intruder deliberately blocked the doorbell camera at 1:47 a.m. using yard brush.
– Nancy’s pacemaker wireless signal flatlined at 2:28 a.m.
– Blood confirmed as hers was left on the front porch.
This latest development arrives amid a painful series of setbacks and dead ends:
– Last Friday’s massive federal raid ~2 miles from Nancy’s Catalina Foothills home: SWAT teams, FBI agents, forensics vans everywhere. A gray Range Rover towed away. Multiple people detained and questioned. Everyone released. No charges. No Nancy.
– The black glove breakthrough: DNA from the glove (visually matching those worn by the suspect in surveillance video) was rushed into CODIS — only for Sheriff Chris Nanos to announce yesterday: no match in the national database.
– Helicopter-mounted Bluetooth scanners continue to fly low, slow grids over the desert, desperately searching for any remaining trace of the pacemaker signal. No confirmed detections.
– More than 30,000 tips have poured in. The reward stands at $100,000. Fake ransom demands (bitcoin texts to family and media outlets) have only added cruelty to the family’s suffering. The real abductor has never made contact.
Now the focus has shifted dramatically to this unnamed woman. Is she a witness who withheld vital information? Did she cross paths with the intruder unknowingly? Or—most disturbingly—does the newly uncovered evidence place her in closer proximity to the night of the abduction than anyone previously imagined?
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has not yet released an official statement regarding the summons, but sources emphasize that she is currently being treated as a person of interest for information, not as a formal suspect. The FBI task force, still staged in Tucson, is reportedly prioritizing her interview while forensic laboratories push through remaining evidence from the raid and the glove.
Savannah Guthrie’s anguish remains raw and public. In her most recent Instagram post yesterday, she wrote:
“It’s been over two weeks since our mom was taken from us. We still believe she is out there. We still have hope. If you know anything—anything at all—please come forward. It’s never too late to do the right thing.”
Outside Nancy’s home, the makeshift memorial continues to grow heavier: yellow flowers carpet the ground, ribbons flutter from every mailbox, the “Bring Her Home” banner is nearly buried under fresh handwritten prayers and messages. Neighbors say the entire Catalina Foothills community is holding its breath, praying, and refusing to give up.
Time is merciless. Nancy’s heart condition means every hour without her daily medications is a life-threatening gamble.
The next few hours — perhaps the next few minutes — could bring long-awaited answers… or plunge this already agonizing case into even deeper darkness.
Anyone with information is strongly urged to contact the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff’s tip line immediately. The $100,000 reward remains in full effect.
This is a rapidly unfolding story. We will continue to update as more information becomes available.
What do you think this mystery woman knows?
Is this the breakthrough the investigation has been desperately seeking… or yet another heartbreaking false lead?
Share your theories, prayers, and support for the Guthrie family in the comments below. Nancy is still waiting.
